Tasty Tuesday Product Review-Himalayan Dog Chews

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The Nepalese are definitely a people who have the right attitude toward the canine species: worshipful.  On the fourteenth day of the Lunar cycle in November , known as Kukur Tihar, the people of Nepal honor dogs as religious icons.   In the view of the Nepalese Hindus dogs are the guardians of Yama Raj the God of Death who determines who goes to heaven or hell after death.  Which means that dogs are believed to guard the gates to heaven and hell.   On Kukur Tihar people honor dogs by bringing them gifts and food and adorning them with flowers and red paint on their forehead.  Even stray dogs are treated with great respect during the festival.     

One treat these lucky Himalayan canines may be enjoying during their festival is a chew made of dried Yak or cows milk.  It comes from an ancient recipe but until very recently unless you were traveling to the Himalayas your hound couldn't get his paws on it.   However, thanks to the expanding global market the treats are now available from a number of retailers including our favorite, Olive Green Dog.
The treats are really long lasting (Dr. Z has been working on hers for over a week) and they are made with all natural ingredients, and no chemicals or preservatives.  They also have a shelf life of at least four years.  We love them!

 

W.C. Fields: Bob's Tribute and a Recipe for Chocolate Whiskey Cake

“The advantages of whiskey over dogs are legion. Whiskey does not need to be periodically wormed, it does not need to be fed, it never requires a special kennel, it has no toenails to be clipped or coat to be stripped. Whiskey sits quietly in its special nook until you want it. True, whiskey has a nasty habit of running out, but then so does a dog.”

W.C. Fields 

January 29 marks the birthday of the famed comedienne, almost as well known for his purported hatred of children and dogs as for he is for his films.   Here is Bob's tribute to a classic Field's skit: The Fatal Glass of Beer 

In Field's honor we are also sharing a recipe for Chocolate Whiskey Cake.  Of course Fields preferred his whiskey in liquid form, but we prefer it in this cake.  It really is delicious


Chocolate Whiskey Cake

1 lb pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used Scharffen Berger chunks)
10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter
3 ounces Whiskey 1 tablespoon cocoa-powder
6 large eggs
¾ cup sugar

Sweetened whipped cream for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch diameter springform pan with 2¾-inch high sides. Combine chocolate and butter in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in Bourbon and cocoa powder. Cool to lukewarm.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl until tripled in volume, about 5 minutes. Stir ¼ of the beaten egg mixture into cooled chocolate mixture to lighten, then fold chocolate mixture into remaining egg mixture. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Smooth with an offset spatula.

3. Bake cake until tester inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs still attached, about 40 to 45 minutes. Cook cake in pan on rack (cake will sink as it cools). run knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides.

A Snowy Day

This has been the most bizarrely warm winter ever, 64 degrees in NYC in January!  Even an 8 week old puppy can tell that this Global Warming stuff is for real.  Mom and Dad are trying hard to use their car as little as possible, they ride their bikes to work and on errands and we are taking more walks closer to  home.  Mom has told us that this will also save money which means more treats for us, so we are OK with it.   A few weeks ago when we were in Saratoga Springs we did get one snowy day to remind us of what we are missing, we sure hope there are more Winter days like this in the  years to come:

Another Liebster Award-Thanks Wilma

Why is Ping smiling?

Because the very sweet Wilma the pug was nice enough to give us a Liebster award.

Liebster means dearest and the award is meant for blogs with less then 200 followers.  There are so many wonderful blogs it was hard for us to pick but we are sharing the award with five lovely blogs 
1) The Adventures of Tank-This guy is too cute to believe.  He's a pugalier, a combo of two of our favorite breeds pug and cavalier!  You must check him out.
2) Bunk-Little Bunk the pug is so precious and his antics are very entertaining.  Check out his goofy tongue!
3) Cleopatra: Diary of the Border Collie A beautiful dog with a great blog and she is the sister of the terrific  Brando, Bogart, and Ziggy.  
4) Southern Fried Pugs-These pugs are everything southern ladies should be elegant, cute, fun, and diva-ish!
5) Its Tiffy Time-A very sweet little lady pug.  Check her out!

Wordless Wednesday-Yawn!

Fortune Cookies for Fido

Most people know that pugs




originated in China.
 

This happened approximately  3,000 years ago during the Shang Dynasty.  Pugs were bred to be companions to the emperors and where central to court life.  They were carried all over the palaces on silken cushions and had their own servants.  According to the book Pugs in Public by Kendall Farr one infactuated emperor, Lung-Tu, awarded his pug the country's highest level of literacy achievement, the Hosien Grade, complete with official hat and belt! (and the tradition of dressing up pugs began.)  Later pugs where imported to Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries.


Of course  yesterday was the first day of Chinese New Year so its an appropriate time for pugs and their brethren to celebrate their heritage.  First Tubby took a walk in his Fortune Cookie jacket

Then all the hounds sampled a new treat Kung Fu Fido Fortune Cookies from Sojos.  They come in a cute box

and they look just like regular fortune cookies:

They are also super delicious.  Look at how badly we all wanted one:

Best of all there is a cute fortune cookie saying inside each one!  Lie:
"If you are hungry, eat.  If you're tired sleep.  If you're tired of eating, you're not a dog."

Sadly, according to the Sojos  website they are discontinuing the cookies!  At least we  have enough to last us through the 15 days of celebration this year.

Tubby loves Ice Cream

We took this picture at the Ben and Jerry's in Saratoga Springs.  It was one of their first shops outside of Vermont when they started.  It was pretty cold but Tubs is always up for ice cream!

National Cheese Lover's Day

We live in a nation of many Holidays and celebrations:


New Year's Eve

Valentine's Day:

 

St.Patrick's Day:

Easter

 

Mother's Day

Father's Day 

The Fourth of July

Halloween




Thanksgiving 




and Christmas

  to name a few.

However, we at Urban Hounds have discovered a new holiday of great importance: National Cheese Lovers Day!!!! which was yesterday,  January 20.



What is more deserving of a holiday then the tastiest, yummiest food out there, beloved by hounds and humans both (even if its not particularly good for them.)  So in honor of the big day we are sharing two Macaroni and Cheese Recipes, one for hounds and one for humans.

Mac and Cheese for Hounds

Note from mom: This is not a particularly healthy recipe so keep portions small, it make a nice kibble topper.

• 1/2 elbow macaroni
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 bag of shredded Italian blend cheese (low fat is fine)
• 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes (I used whole tomatoes because that' what we had but diced would be better)
• 1 12 oz package of frozen green beans or peas

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bring a pot of salted water to boil for cooking the macaroni.  Cook the macaroni to al dente and set aside.


Meanwhile heat the oil in a sauce pan over medium heat and gradually whisk in the flour, keep whisking until the flour turns a golden brown color.  Gradually whisk in the milk.  Keep whisking until the milk and flour mixture thickens up into a nice sauce consistency.   Add the cheese and stir until it has melted.  Then add the tomatoes and green beans and stir well.  Finally, stir in the cooked macaroni.


Spray a muffin tin (mini muffins are fine) with no stick cooking spray.  Spoon macaroni mixture into all of the muffins tins.   Bake 35 minutes until golden brown.




Buffalo Style Mac and Cheese for Humans (adapted from www.epicurious.com)

• 1 1lb elbow macaroni
• 2 cups of chopped green onions
• 8 tbsp of butter, divided
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped 
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 pound extra-sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (about 4 cups packed)
• 8 ounces provolone cheese, coarsely grated (about 2 cups packed)
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tbsp Frank's Hot Sauce (plus more for serving)
• 1/4 cup of blue cheese, such as danish blue, crumbled
• 1 package of frozen buffalo style chicken tenders, thawed and diced

Cook macaroni in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain; transfer to very large bowl. Mix in green onions.

Melt 6 tablespoons butter in same large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cover; sauté until onion is soft, stirring often, about 6 minutes. Add flour; stir 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer sauce 2 minutes. Add all cheeses, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Whisk until cheeses melt and sauce is smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Season to taste with more salt and pepper, if desired. Mix cheese sauce into macaroni and stir in the 4 tbsp of Franks' Hot Sauce. Mix in chicken pieces. Mound mixture in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish.  Sprinkle over the blue cheese.   Bake 30 to 45 minutes until top is just brown and sauce is bubbling.

A Full Couch Friday and a Pawesome Blogger Award

As an urban dwelling dog lover who has shared a Manhattan apartment with three dogs and later a not too big house with five dogs I have long said that dogs don't need a lot of space (a good amount of exercise and a lot of love yes, space no) and now with this picture I have the photographic evidence.  Four out of five hounds choose to sit with me on this tiny two seater couch rather then on our larger couch or any of our dog beds (and trust me that couch was packed!)

About a week ago our blogger friends at Basset Mama gave us the Pawesome Blogger award, but we have had some very tough times lately and I have not gotten around to passing the award on.    So I will do so today (we are so greatfull for the award).   I am passing on the Pawesome Blogger Award

 

To 8 fantastic blogs that cheer me up when I am down.


Pupparoos
Paddywack Pugs 
Pug Slope
Pip
Maggie Mae Says
Two Cats and a Pug
Kitty and Coco
Southern Fried Pugs

Popovers for Piglet on Winnie the Pooh Day

Today is Winnie the Pooh Day the day to celebrate every one's favorite bear on the birthday of his creator A.A. Milne.

 Of course Winnie is actually a real bear who belonged to Milne's son Christopher Robin and inspired his fathers stories.  However, what lots of people do not know is that the real Winnie the pooh along with Eeyore, Piglet, and Tiger are in the custody of the New York Public Library and reside in a glass case at Stephen A. Schwarzman building   on 5th Ave and 42nd St.  This is a bit of a shock to those of us who have read the classic Pooh stories and know how resoundly  British Pooh is, and to make matters worse the library claims Pooh and his friends are as happy now as they were in the 100 acre wood, as if!   Thankfully there is a petition you can sign to return Pooh and his friends to their homeland.  

 In honor of Winnie the Pooh Day we decided to make Popovers for Piglet a recipe from the classic Pooh cookbook which was published in 1969.   It was a big hit with the hippies who must have appreciated Poohs laid back philosophy of "doing nothing."

Popovers for Piglet

• 1 cup unbleached flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup milk or 3/4 cup cream
• 1 tablespoon butter , melted
• 2 tablespoons honey , softened
• 2 eggs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Grease 2 muffins or popover tins generously with butter.
3. Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
4. Combine milk, butter and honey and add to the flour.
5. Stir to combine.
6. Add the eggs and beat until smooth in an electrix mixer
7. Fill the muffin tins half full.
8. Bake approximately 25 minutes* but **DO NOT** open the oven door or the popovers will collapse (you want to save the collapsing for later!).
9. Remove from oven. The popovers will collapse in the center in about 1 minute, usually less time (which is what happened to mine before I could photograph them).
10. Remove from the muffin pans.
11. Serve drizzle with honey or with honey butter (made by beating butter and honey together)

Product Review-Wholistic Pet Salmon Oil

Mom has definitely mentioned before how much she loves the online store Olive Green Dog.  They carry toys, treats, collars, coats, beds, and health products all with a healthy, crunchy, green vibe that is right up her alley.    Mom's absolute favorite thing about Olive Green Dog though is that they carry Wholistic Pet Deep Sea Salmon Oil.  


Most forward thinking pet parents these days are well aware of the myriad benefits of salmon oil, particularly for senior pets like us.   Just in case you are not aware of the advantages, take a look at the list below.  Professor Tubby says: "please take notes as needed."

Professor Tubby

• Fish oil is an important source of omega-3 l fatty acids (the good guy fats).
• It has natural anti-inflamatory properties and as such is excellent for dogs suffering for osteoarthritis, which is at least 1 in 5 adult dogs and 1 in 2 senior dogs.
• Since inflamation also plays a role in allergies, fish oil is a great supplement for dogs suffering from itchy scratchies.
• Heart disease-Dogs in heart failure have lower levels of DHA and EPA (those Omega-3 fatty acids) in their blood so suplementing with fish oil is very helpful.   Also, by giving your healthy dog fish oil you help prevent heart disease from developing.
• Cancer-Fish oil has antioxidant properties (meaning it helps fight of the big C).  Plus, if your dog already has cancer fish oil can help counteract weight loss and may increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy.
• Doggie Brains-Older dogs, just like older people, can start to get a little fuzzy in the thinking and remembering department.  DHA  is a building block in brain tissue so supplementing your dog's diet with fish oil may stave off doggie Alzheimers.
• Eyes: DHA is also found in the retina of the eye so fish oil helps to promote eye health.  (Tubby's old guy eyes are just fine: his glasses are just for show!)

So with all these great benefits its obvious that mom has to give us all Salmon oil which brings us back to the wonders of Wholistic Pet Deep Sea Salmon Oil, thi stuff comes in a 64 ounce container!  No dinky little 8  ounce vials.   This might  not seem like a big deal to those of you with small families, but trust us keeping five dogs and 3 cats in salmon oil you go through a lot of the stuff.   

Mom used to give us Grizzly Pet Salmon Oil, which was very nice but we would be done with the large size container in two or three weeks.   Mom was constantly ordering more and Dad was wondering why our salmon oil bill surpassed that of our car payment.   Then we switched too Omega 3-6-9 from Spring Time Pets.  This we could order in large sizes, but the product comes in capsule form.  It was nice for freshness but now Mom had to snip open capsules, since we were not about to eat our fish oil in capsule form (except Bob, he'll eat anything).   Mom is not the neatest person and she was forever spraying fish oil all over the kitchen counters (which the previous owners of our home seem to have selected due to their ability to absorb stains).  When she sprayed fish oil on a dress from Anthropologie mom's taste for this product promptly evaporated.

Enter Olive Green Dog and Wholistic Pet Deep Sea Salmon Oil.  The first 64 ounce container mom ordered lasted us five months!!!, and cost only sixty-five dollars.  Plus, its easy to dispense as its pump doesn't get stuck  or clogged like some other pump dispensers we have tried and it fits nicely in our fridge which keeps it frech.  Most importantly, it comes from wild salmon and is completely organic.   It is one product that sure makes us smile!